


When the Connection Fails

by satbiym



Category: Iron Man (Movies), The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Gen, Harley and Tony adorableness, Harley has a crushhhh (not on tony), Tony Stark Has A Heart
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-04-17
Updated: 2014-04-17
Packaged: 2018-01-19 17:38:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,771
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1478284
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/satbiym/pseuds/satbiym
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Bombs Away<br/>-	H.K, Mechanic<br/>The world we live in is dangerous; sure we have people who put their lives on the line daily to keep us safe, but it’s not enough. We need to start saving ourselves, and I started with this project.<br/>10 years ago, a tragedy rocked Tennessee, killing and injuring hundreds. Chad Davis, due to an unstable virus called EXTREMIS, exploded, taking the lives of everyone around him.<br/>I created this, an ordinary couch with extraordinary properties. I’ve equipped this furniture with the ability to protect a person from a Jericho missile.<br/>I used a combination of electromagnets (similar to those used in the arc reactor), repulsor technology and retro-reflective panels that will make the wielder invisible to the naked eye.<br/>No longer will a village be bombed until there is nothing left standing, no longer will a child be orphaned or a person widowed.<br/>You can take away a person’s house, their worldly possessions, but one thing you can’t tear away without their permission – is their potential to the world.<br/>It’s what I learnt 10 years ago, and what I’m going to share with the world.</p>
            </blockquote>





	When the Connection Fails

**Author's Note:**

> Oops, I had to. I love them so.  
> YAY! first full fic for the Avengers!  
> Lemme know how it is.

 

**When the Connection Fails**

 

Tony sighed as he shoved his hands in his pocket, _please let there be an Avenger emergency, a sleep deprived PHD student would be preferred right now. I might be going blind with all the photographs._

“Tony Stark! An honor to meet you sir, If you’ll just walk with me to the teacher’s lounge…”

 

Tony smoothly hid his flinch as he took in the incoming train wreck, a balding man in a very unfortunate suit littered with evidence of his profession.

“Mr. Crowley” He intoned, amused at the look of surprise on the man’s face.

 

Pleased, the man puffed up and gestured towards the paint splattered exhibits, the obnoxiously cheery posters encouraging high schoolers to _not drink and drive_ and the excited faces with polished black shoes and dark circles.

“Some turn out, huh? Thank you for doing this, the students were so excited when they heard that _Iron Man_ himself was going to judge their science fair. I’ve never been gladder that someone wants to escape the city”

 

Tony smiled ruefully, _right, that’s why I’m here…_

 

“Of course Mr. Crowley, but so far I’ve experienced everything _but_ the science fair. I wouldn’t want to keep the children waiting” he said, _definitely top 50 in the Things Tony Stark Would Never Say List right below “Capt. America’s abs are so overrated”_

Smiling, Tony walked towards the exhibits, leaving the Principal behind.

 

He walked briskly through the exhibits, begrudgingly impressed – kids had talent, maybe a donation? _Actually, huh. I didn’t know you could do that with algae…..something SI would be interested in? depending on the resources…FOCUS TONY! K…K….K…..K…ah_

A lot of things could be said about Anthony Edward Stark, especially if you ask one Pepper Potts, but _stupid_ is not one of them. With skill that came from regularly fighting with the Black Widow, he steadily slowed his pace, keeping an eye out for camera happy leprechauns (Also, no, Tony is _not short, fuck you very much)_.

 

A chair was placed in the place of honor. _Huh, art? Should I have brought Steve? What’s this doing in a Science Exhibition?_

“Isn’t it a beauty? He worked on it all year, said something about having a special connection to it.”

 

Okay, Tony was sick and tired of people sneaking up on him, at the tower the Spy Twins were bad enough, now pre-teen, Tumblr crazy, human spawn in _Tennessee_ are doing it? He had a weak heart, dammit!

He raised an eyebrow at the redhead, who to an outsider appeared to be talking to herself - while staring longingly at the hideous red couch.

Ah.

_God save me from teenage romances, I’ve had it! First the tower, now this?! Do I emit pheromones? Huh, I wonder if I can make the suit do that..it’ll take care of our lesser villains, a pinch of lust and everyone will be too busy fucking like 20 year old me than villain-ing…maybe I can “show” it to Steve when I get back…FOCUS STARK, OR YOUR OWN REDHEAD WILL KILL YOU FOR WIMPING OUT AFTER USING SI’S R &D DEPT FOR THIS….to be fair it’s not like they did anything useful._

“As helpful as this conversation is, I’m going to go check out the other _science_ exhibits”

 

The girl, startled, turned with wide eyes, “NO! MR. STARK, you have to see this! It’s brilliant. He worked so hard on it. You need people like him in your company”

 

Tony, a sucker for pretty red heads with a penchant for ordering him around while prefacing everything with a _Mr. Stark_ , tilted his head and said “Listen Sweetheart, not even your loveliness can make me overlook the fact that _that_ isn’t a science project”

 

She huffed, “Mr. Stark, it is not a _project_ , it’s a work of art, like your suit. One look and it won’t be my _loveliness_ that you are admiring.”

 

Amused, despite himself he circled the _Not-Project_ and read the plaque:

 

                                                **Bombs Away**

-         **H.K, Mechanic**

**The world we live in is dangerous; sure we have people who put their lives on the line daily to keep us safe, but it’s not enough. We need to start saving ourselves, and I started with this project.**

**10 years ago, a tragedy rocked Tennessee, killing and injuring hundreds. Chad Davis, due to an unstable virus called EXTREMIS, exploded, taking the lives of everyone around him.**

**I created this, an ordinary couch with extraordinary properties. I’ve equipped this furniture with the ability to protect a person from a Jericho missile.**

**I used a combination of electromagnets (similar to those used in the arc reactor), repulsor technology and retro-reflective panels that will make the wielder invisible to the naked eye.**

**No longer will a village be bombed until there is nothing left standing, no longer will a child be orphaned or a person widowed.**

**You can take away a person’s house, their worldly possessions, but one thing you can’t tear away without their permission – is their potential to the world.**

**It’s what I learnt 10 years ago, and what I’m going to share with the world.**

He stood still, numbness seeping through his blood, contrasting with the rush of chill in his veins.

 

The girl was quiet behind him, sensing something, he really should hire her after this. What’s one more red-head?

 

The chill reached his feet, and he stumbled into the couch, lying back speechless.

 

“HEY! DON’T MOVE!” a faintly familiar voice tore through the crowd, with its owner frantically brandishing a screwdriver.

 

Resigned to never regaining his ability to speak again, Tony sat up, and looked at the owner of the voice…and promptly laid back down again as a tall, blonde ran through the crowds with scientist hair and a crinkled blue suit….

 

Tony was back again, 10 years and he was experiencing a panic attack.

_You gotta stay safe. That's all I know._  
I just stole a poncho  
from a wooden Indian.

_Freeze!_  
Don't move. - You got me.  
Nice potato gun.  
  


_It's a electromagnet. You should know_

 

_Anyway, I would have added in the retro-_  
Retro-reflective panels?  
To make him stealth mode.

_You're a mechanic, right? What don't you just build something?_

_Breathe, Breathe….you can do this. Dammit kid, you have to stop doing this to me…._

“Hey! Hey! Excuse me! Please leave my couch alone, it’s in pain and I’ve some last minute repairs to make before…….oh” The man trailed off as he took in the bent head.

 

_Enough is enough. Look up, Stark._

Tony, resolutely lifted his head, cocked an eyebrow and asked “Before? Before what kid?”

 

“Tony? It is you, right?” the kid….Harley asked.

 

“What do you think kid? And here I thought you were smart, what with your malfunctioning furniture”

 

That did the trick.

 

“Malfunctioning?! Your suit fell apart when it hit a wall, I was going to fix it! And it is a brilliant couch” Harley pouted, reverting back to the teenager he was.

 

“Well then, fix it. You’re a mechanic, right?” Tony smiled.

 

Harley ducked his head, with dimpled, pink cheeks. “Okay thanks, old man”

 

“Am I missing something? I feel like I’m missing something. Harley?”

 

_Oh Christ._

“OH! Lizzie! Um, right. This is Tony Stark. We, uh, kinda met each other some time back” Harley squirmed, shoving his hands into his pockets as he looked nervously at the two.

 

Lizzie eyed their postures and faces, and seemed to understand the situation immediately (Tony knew he liked her for a reason), and narrowed her eyes “Harley Kenner, you didn’t tell me your dad was Tony Stark! Tony Stark, I don’t really care how great you might think you are, I don’t give a fuck about your Billions or your suits – I just want to know, who do you think you are? You run away from your _family_ and then have the nerve to show up here? _What’s wrong with you?”_

Or not. Awkward.

 

Harley purpled, and spat out “LIZZIE! No! he isn’t my dad! He is just a friend. That’s it. You met my dad when we were 6, remember? He most certainly wasn’t Tony Stark”

 

Tony just sat there and let them do the talking, not wanting to open his mouth for fear of choking on sexual tension and hormones. He most certainly wasn’t quiet because of the father comment, of course not. That would be dumb. Tony Stark is not a kid kinda guy. Right.

He jerked himself up. _Right._

“As interesting as this conversation is, I’ve a competition to judge, so use protection kids”

 

Well, never let be said that Tony Stark let someone else have the last word. Also, someone had to embarrass the kid.

 

Stammering, pink faces greeted his statement.

 

_Mission Accomplished._

Tony walked away, listening intently to the conversation he had just left.

“Oh God, I screamed at Tony Stark”

“Hey…um….thanks for that”

“My pleasure. I mean, sure!....uhm”

Nervous throat clearing

 

Tony will deny it till his grave, but he may have giggled.

 

 

“Tony! Tony!” A voice screamed.

 

The man in question turned, and was greeted by a very, very large first place trophy in his face.

 

“Uh thanks, but I don’t want the trophy” Tony said.

 

Harley paused in his…whatever he was doing to give Tony a strange look and hug the trophy closer, “What?! Why would I give this to you? It’s mine!”

 

“Well, you did use a LOT of my work to make it”

 

“A: I gave you the retro-reflective panel idea first, B: Thanks, sort of, and C: If you do someone a solid, don't be a yutz alright, just play it cool otherwise you come off grandiose”

 

“Is that so?” Tony asked, amused.

 

“Yep, a certain mechanic told me that. Smartest man I know” was whispered shyly, with blue eyes peeking hopefully at Tony.

 

“Trying to butter me up, huh?”

 

Harley straightened up, “Well, since the guilt trip didn’t work out so well for me last time….thought I’d try it. Hey, do you want to…get a beer or something?”

 

“Apple juice and beer, Mr. High School? Yeah sure. Do you take your apple juice with ice?”

 

“Hey! You started drinking before me. This isn’t fair” Harley pouted.

 

“And look how that turned out. Couch surfing and stuck with a mini-mechanic.”

 

“Very funny, I’m delightful. Fine, whatever. It’s such a coincidence, you judging my last science competition.”

 

Tony coughed, _Okay Tony, This is the time you put all your Torture Negotiation training at work,_ “Right. Coincidence”

Harley looked at him.

 

And Tony smiled, free and smug, “Guess we’re connected”


End file.
